I'm sometimes surprised at how little wrestlers know about environments they didn't work in. I think about Bret not knowing much of anything about JCP-era NWA or All Japan, or Flair not realizing that Mike Tyson was the big selling point of Wrestlemania XIV. I'm curious, especially for those of you who know wrestlers, how in tune most wrestlers are with what's happening on a global scale, and how good their knowledge of history is. Wrestlers obviously understand wrestling, but it seems like most of them don't understand versions of wrestling that they were not a product of. Is that a fair statement?

There's also the story Dave shared recently of having dinner with a bunch of WWF guys in the late 80s who had never even heard of the Midnight Express. Owen Hart was the only guy who had seen them and agreed with Dave on how good they were. The response from everyone else was if they're so good, how come they never made it here?

I'm curious, especially for those of you who know wrestlers, how in tune most wrestlers are with what's happening on a global scale, and how good their knowledge of history is.

Depends entirely on the individual wrestler. Flair apparently spent all his free time in the gym or in the bar, so it's no surprise that his knowledge of the outside world would be limited at best. Some guys have their own pet obsessions, like Backlund with vocabulary and politics or Foley with Christmas and the Civil War. Some are pop culture junkies; fellas from Perry Saturn to Bret Hart reportedly have a fondness for obscure movies. Jericho's obviously pretty familiar with the overall world of rock and pop music. And then there's the guys like Kane who are said to be legit experts in like a dozen different fields.

 

As for the Midnights anecdote: I wouldn't be surprised if, at that time, there was office-created peer pressure in the WWF to not watch their rivals' product. Wouldn't want the boys to keep getting reminded that they've got another option for employment out there, of course.

This is funny, as I made the following joke to British indy wrestler El Ligero when he tweeted about a major UK indy show called Superclash 3 next month being cancelled: "A cursed show name if there ever was one. At least you didn't work without pay as Chavo Guerrero/Lawler claimed!" He totally didn't get what I was referring to.

With how the brutal WWF schedule was in the '80s, I'm not surprised they didn't have time to watch the NWA. They probably didn't even watch their own shows most of the time.

I'm sometimes surprised at how little wrestlers know about environments they didn't work in. I think about Bret not knowing much of anything about JCP-era NWA or All Japan, or Flair not realizing that Mike Tyson was the big selling point of Wrestlemania XIV. I'm curious, especially for those of you who know wrestlers, how in tune most wrestlers are with what's happening on a global scale, and how good their knowledge of history is. Wrestlers obviously understand wrestling, but it seems like most of them don't understand versions of wrestling that they were not a product of. Is that a fair statement?

 

It's a fair statement, but to me it's not surprising.

 

I am a computer engineer. I have been working with the same technology for a decade and a half - basically my entire professional life. When I am home the last thing that I want to do is to study other technologies, to read about technology or to have anything to do with computers other than to fool around like most regular people do (internet, email, etc.).

 

I don't see why wrestlers should be expected to be different to regular people. I will say that it seems shocking at first that Ric Flair didn't know that Steve Austin was the Ringmaster before Stone Cold, or that Sting hadn't seen the Montreal Screwjob until many years after the fact (even though he obviously knew about it). However, when you think about it, it kind of makes sense. These guys literally live and breathe wrestling, I assume that whatever free time they have they want to spend it with friends, family, girlfriends, fishing, hunting or at the bar... not watching wrestling tapes.

 

There's that famous Terry Funk quote: if I was a plumber I wouldn't want to watch somebody else fixing a toilet and doing a lousy job, or even worse, fixing a toilet better than me.

I always think it's obvious when listening to shows who are the "true fans" and who are the "workers". Like Jim Cornette, Jim Ross, Kevin Sullivan -- all those guys watch wrestling outside of their bubble, or at least have awareness of what went on and when.

 

I'm sometimes surprised at how little wrestlers know about environments they didn't work in. I think about Bret not knowing much of anything about JCP-era NWA or All Japan, or Flair not realizing that Mike Tyson was the big selling point of Wrestlemania XIV. I'm curious, especially for those of you who know wrestlers, how in tune most wrestlers are with what's happening on a global scale, and how good their knowledge of history is. Wrestlers obviously understand wrestling, but it seems like most of them don't understand versions of wrestling that they were not a product of. Is that a fair statement?

 

It's a fair statement, but to me it's not surprising.

 

I am a computer engineer. I have been working with the same technology for a decade and a half - basically my entire professional life. When I am home the last thing that I want to do is to study other technologies, to read about technology or to have anything to do with computers other than to fool around like most regular people do (internet, email, etc.).

 

I don't see why wrestlers should be expected to be different to regular people. I will say that it seems shocking at first that Ric Flair didn't know that Steve Austin was the Ringmaster before Stone Cold, or that Sting hadn't seen the Montreal Screwjob until many years after the fact (even though he obviously knew about it). However, when you think about it, it kind of makes sense. These guys literally live and breathe wrestling, I assume that whatever free time they have they want to spend it with friends, family, girlfriends, fishing, hunting or at the bar... not watching wrestling tapes.

 

There's that famous Terry Funk quote: if I was a plumber I wouldn't want to watch somebody else fixing a toilet and doing a lousy job, or even worse, fixing a toilet better than me.

 

 

This makes sense but Funk's analogy could be picked apart pretty easily. Plumbing isn't an entertainment form meant to be watched. Do actors not watch movies?

 

 

I'm sometimes surprised at how little wrestlers know about environments they didn't work in. I think about Bret not knowing much of anything about JCP-era NWA or All Japan, or Flair not realizing that Mike Tyson was the big selling point of Wrestlemania XIV. I'm curious, especially for those of you who know wrestlers, how in tune most wrestlers are with what's happening on a global scale, and how good their knowledge of history is. Wrestlers obviously understand wrestling, but it seems like most of them don't understand versions of wrestling that they were not a product of. Is that a fair statement?

It's a fair statement, but to me it's not surprising.

 

I am a computer engineer. I have been working with the same technology for a decade and a half - basically my entire professional life. When I am home the last thing that I want to do is to study other technologies, to read about technology or to have anything to do with computers other than to fool around like most regular people do (internet, email, etc.).

 

I don't see why wrestlers should be expected to be different to regular people. I will say that it seems shocking at first that Ric Flair didn't know that Steve Austin was the Ringmaster before Stone Cold, or that Sting hadn't seen the Montreal Screwjob until many years after the fact (even though he obviously knew about it). However, when you think about it, it kind of makes sense. These guys literally live and breathe wrestling, I assume that whatever free time they have they want to spend it with friends, family, girlfriends, fishing, hunting or at the bar... not watching wrestling tapes.

 

There's that famous Terry Funk quote: if I was a plumber I wouldn't want to watch somebody else fixing a toilet and doing a lousy job, or even worse, fixing a toilet better than me.

 

This makes sense but Funk's analogy could be picked apart pretty easily. Plumbing isn't an entertainment form meant to be watched. Do actors not watch movies?

 

Actors not having seen all the movies is a common problem during Oscar season.

 

That's why the compaigning by the likes of Harvey Weinstein has been so effective, sometimes it's just a case of getting the voters to actually watch the stuff.

Odd coming from Funk since he has usually followed everything and was even the one who instilled that mentality in Dave Meltzer.

Could time be a factor here? What with the travel, hotels, working out, cocaine and hookers, and spending countless hours at the arena, maybe wrestlers just didn't really have the time to find out about what was going on elsewhere?

I get that. But most guys read the Observer, right? So never hearing about the Midnight Express at all seems weird, unless they just skimmed for their own name.

I hope to one day meet Nikki Bella so I can ask her if she preferred RINGS or PWFG.

There's also a pretty good chance that JCP never actually aired where Bret Hart lived.

I always think it's obvious when listening to shows who are the "true fans" and who are the "workers". Like Jim Cornette, Jim Ross, Kevin Sullivan -- all those guys watch wrestling outside of their bubble, or at least have awareness of what went on and when.

 

 

I think this might be the smartest thing you've ever wrote on here.

Jerry Lawler is one of the absolute bests ever but he's said on numerous occasions that he has no interest in watching wrestling. He pretty much said the same thing as Funk's plumber analogy except not in those words.

It's a trait true of select people in all walks of life. There are comedians, writers, visual artists, etc. who are unfamiliar with what's going on in their field, either because they're too immersed in their own work or simply feel they'd rather take part in other things. I think others worry that they don't want about becoming too influenced by others if they watch everyone else. Wrestlers have a lot of weird pride and herd mentality issues: it's not hard to imagine a stigma of "you only watch other workers if you yourself don't know how to work / watching the shows is for the marks / etc."

 

Meltzer did recently say that select WWE guys (the ones you'd expect) were avidly watching New Japan. Sasha Banks is said to be someone who watches a lot of old matches (huge Eddy fan, etc). Danielson had that deal a couple years ago where he was on some WWE panel and was asked who his favorite Mexican wrestler was, with everyone expecting him to say Rey or Eddy. He picked Blue Panther.

 

As for pre-web 80s/90s guys: I don't think tape trading was big amongst workers, so if you weren't in front of a TV during your competition's show, you probably weren't catching it, esp. with the insane road schedules of the day. When guys were home, I doubt many of them wanted to tell their wife/kids/mistresses, "Sorry boo, but I have to give due diligence to the work of my peers, and these W*ING comps aren't gonna watch themselves."

 

Re: Funk - while he wasn't someone who was trying to watch a bunch of other people's TV shows, he seemed to have an eye for talent if he was working a locale. He's the guy who famously told Meltzer that he should start watching joshi in the early 80s, as Funk told him that AJW's workers were better talents than the men.

When Flair had Austin on his podcast, Flair's co-host had to correct him on Austin/Hart from WrestleMania 13 not being a 60-minute match. Flair then admitted he'd never seen the match.

 

That one kind of boggled my mind mostly because of just how iconic that match is, plus, it did happen on the biggest show of the year for the rival promotion (the one show you'd think everyone watched).

 

It didn't totally negate any of Flair's praise for Austin and its obvious the two get along well - but it almost reminded me of if I met Robert De Niro, we had a long talk about his accomplishments and the actor's craft and his successes, we shared a lot of laughs and had a great time and became drinking buddies, and then, sometime around our 20th hangout, I told him I'd never gotten around to seeing Taxi Driver.

One of my favorite things about Austin is how into watching wrestling he is.

I hope to one day meet Nikki Bella so I can ask her if she preferred RINGS or PWFG.

 

Reminds me of the joke (made on here?) about wanting to meet Cameron and ask her about Lou Thesz.

Yeah, I am reduced to recycling my material. Seriously, I think chances are high that Flair has no idea that Misawa, Kawada and Kobashi became stars and headed All Japan after Jumbo retired. Is there even proof he knows who Kenta Kobashi is? I know they were going to do a handshake for some indy once, but I'd be shocked if he's ever seen one of his matches.

I hope to one day meet Nikki Bella so I can ask her if she preferred RINGS or PWFG.

 

You are just jealous of the guy who got a chance to talk to Missy Hyatt and chose not to speak about PRIDE.

 

I hope to one day meet Nikki Bella so I can ask her if she preferred RINGS or PWFG.

 

You are just jealous of the guy who got a chance to talk to Missy Hyatt and chose not to speak about PRIDE.

 

 

Whatever happened to that guy anyway?

Yeah, I am reduced to recycling my material. Seriously, I think chances are high that Flair has no idea that Misawa, Kawada and Kobashi became stars and headed All Japan after Jumbo retired. Is there even proof he knows who Kenta Kobashi is? I know they were going to do a handshake for some indy once, but I'd be shocked if he's ever seen one of his matches.

 

This reminds me of when Hulk Hogan was looking to wrestle in Japan in the mid 90s and after getting some info on who were his potential big money opponents he said "Japanese wrestling must be in the toilet if Takada is the hottest wrestler in the country" because he was still thinking lightweight young boy Takada.

 

 

I hope to one day meet Nikki Bella so I can ask her if she preferred RINGS or PWFG.

 

You are just jealous of the guy who got a chance to talk to Missy Hyatt and chose not to speak about PRIDE.

 

 

Whatever happened to that guy anyway?

 

 

He stayed out of trouble.